Operational control of electrohydrodynamic (ehd) air mover and electrode conditioning mechanism

Abstract

Disclosed herein are apparatuses and methods related to an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) fluid mover that includes emitter and collector electrodes energizable to motivate fluid flow therebetween. Ozone reducing catalyst bearing heat transfer surfaces may be disposed downstream of the emitter electrode in a flow path of the motivated fluid flow. A controller may be configured to, at respective times throughout the operating life of the EHD fluid mover, selectively employ at least one ozone reduction enhancement response selected from a set of responses. One response includes triggering a conditioning mechanism to apply an additional, but at least partially consumable, ozone reducing catalyst to a surface of the emitter electrode.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) fluid mover that includes emitter and collector electrodes energizable to motivate fluid flow therebetween; ozone reducing catalyst bearing heat transfer surfaces downstream of the emitter electrode in a flow path of the motivated fluid flow; and   a controller operable to, at respective times throughout the operating life of the EHD fluid mover, selectively employ at least one ozone reduction enhancement response selected from a set of responses that includes: (i) triggering a conditioning mechanism to apply an additional, but at least partially consumable, ozone reducing catalyst to a surface of the emitter electrode.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein timing of the selectively employed ozone reduction enhancement response is based, at least in part, on an estimate of saturation of the ozone reducing catalyst bearing heat transfer surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the selected-from set of responses further includes: (ii) reducing EHD fluid flow and thereby temporarily increasing temperature of the ozone reducing catalyst on the heat transfer surfaces. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a heat source thermally coupled to the ozone reducing catalyst bearing heat transfer surfaces, wherein during periods of generally low thermal management demands, the controller preferentially employs the temporary increase in temperature to rejuvenate and thereby maintain efficacy of the ozone reducing catalyst on the heat transfer surfaces.   
     
     
         6 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the selected-from set of responses further includes: (iii) resistively heating the surface of the emitter electrode by causing a current to flow along a longitudinal extent thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the emitter electrode is coupled in a conductive loop, the apparatus further comprising an inductive coupler proximate a portion of the conductive loop to induce the current flow. 
     
     
         12 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the ozone reducing catalyst on the heat transfer surfaces includes manganese dioxide (Mn02). 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the additional but consumable ozone reducing catalyst applied to the emitter electrode surface includes silver (Ag). 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the additional but consumable ozone reducing catalyst applied to the emitter electrode surface includes a preparation of silver (Ag) and graphite. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , embodied at least in part as a thermal management system for an electronic system, wherein the controller includes functional code executable on a processor of the electronic system. 
     
     
         21 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method comprising: energizing emitter and collector electrodes of an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) fluid mover to motivate fluid flow over ozone reducing catalyst bearing heat transfer surfaces downstream of the emitter electrode in a flow path of the motivated fluid flow; and at respective times throughout the operating life of the EHD fluid mover, selectively:
 (i) applying an additional, but at least partially consumable, ozone reducing catalyst to a surface of the emitter electrode; and   (ii) reducing EHD motivated fluid flow notwithstanding an unmet thermal management demand of a heat source and thereby temporarily increasing temperature of the ozone reducing catalyst on the heat transfer surfaces.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein timing of the applying is based, at least in part, on operating time of the EHD fluid mover since a most recent application the additional ozone reducing catalyst to the emitter electrode. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein timing of the reducing is based, at least in part, on an estimate of saturation of the ozone reducing catalyst bearing heat transfer surfaces. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: maintaining the reduced EHD motivated fluid flow for a period of generally low thermal management demands to rejuvenate and thereby maintain efficacy of the ozone reducing catalyst on the heat transfer surfaces. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: at successive times throughout the operating life of the EHD fluid mover, frictionally removing at least some otherwise detrimental material accumulation from the emitter electrode. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: monitoring temperature of the ozone reducing catalyst on the heat transfer surfaces; monitoring energy applied to the EHD fluid mover; and estimating decreased efficacy of the ozone reducing catalyst on the heat transfer surfaces based on the monitored temperature and applied energy. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising: estimating ozone reducing catalyst rejuvenation based on the monitored temperature and time of reduced EHD motivated fluid flow. 
     
     
         30 . A system comprising:
 an enclosure having inlet and outlet ventilation boundaries and a fluid flow path therebetween;   a heat source thermally coupled to heat transfer surfaces in the fluid flow path;   a controller operable to, at respective times throughout the operating life of an EHD fluid mover to motivate fluid along the flow path, selectively trigger:   (i) application of an at least partially consumable ozone reducing catalyst to an emitter electrode of an EHD fluid mover; and   (ii) reduction of EHD motivated fluid flow notwithstanding an unmet thermal management demand of the heat source and a temporary increase in temperature of an ozone reducing catalyst on the heat transfer surfaces.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the controller includes functional code executable on a processor of the system to control an EHD fluid mover. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 the EHD fluid mover; and   the ozone reducing catalyst on the heat transfer surfaces.   
     
     
         33 - 41 . (canceled)